13th Zapfish [Video; Goldenrod City]

[agent3]

[It's quite clear that when the 'Gear starts up, it's not Thida who's filming it, because she's the one being filmed. The edge of a Malamar's tentacle pokes into the view as it spies on the trainer from around a corner, back to the camera, carefully holding a guitar in her hands even though it's probably a bit too big for her to properly use. She twists the tuning knobs with the utmost care, plucks a string, pauses to listen to the sound, and then returns to the knobs again. She's picking out sounds by ear, it seems, for after a few repetitions of this she slowly, carefully plucks out the beginning of a tune before her fingers slip, and she flinches at the incorrect chord.

The view shifts, and a Malamar takes up the screen. She clicks her beak twice, softly, before she begins to glow with the subtlety of Psychic powers.]

I would like to make a request for my trainer. She is too proud to ask...but she would like lessons in her instrument. The Father Squidmas brought it to her and it is important. [There's a pause as the Malamar looks to her trainer again.] She does everything for us. Helps us become stronger, listens to us, plays with us when she would rather be inside. And she has many troubles. I would like to help them become less heavy.

[With that, the Malamar lowers the 'gear, but doesn't turn it off, and goes out to meet Thida, making a trilling sound. The young girl looks up, and immediately smiles.] Hi, Maika. Whatcha doin'? [She blinks when the Pokemon hands over her Poke'gear, and takes it, noting that it is indeed on.] Y'makin' a movie? [There's a pause, and Thida giggles, presumably at her Pokemon's expression.] 'Kay, y're all done, then. [She turns to the 'gear herself and waves.] Hope y'liked her movie! Bye!

Comments

video - to Maika

[forsaintcecilia]

Hmmm... I can play trumpet, and the piano, but I'm not the best with stringed instruments. I could teach her theory and how to read music, but I dunno about the guitar...

[Video]

[agent3]

[Maika has reclaimed the 'gear after Thida turned it off, and is just sort of chilling behind her, blocking the girl from view. Anyone watching can still hear the guitar strums, though.]

Reading music would help. She only knows through listening. Are trumpets and pianos very different from guitars, trainer?

[Video]

[forsaintcecilia]

Yeah! It's most common for people to learn theory and reading and stuff on the piano because the keys are incremental. Like the ones on the left are low and the ones on the right are high and that's easy to visualize while you're also trying to figure out reading. And brass instruments and stringed instruments are totally different. How a brass instrument sounds mostly relies on how you blow into it, and stringed instruments are all about fingering. And strumming in the case of a guitar.

[Video]

[agent3]

[The Malamar nods, though a lot of these concepts kind of go over her head. The important stuff sticks, at least.]

I see. This stills seems like a valuable chance to learn the ways of music. Would there be books on the guitars at the store?

[Video]

[forsaintcecilia]

Oh yeah, there are tons of books out there that can teach you how to play an instrument! But honestly, nothing can beat having a teacher. That instant feedback can fix bad habits before they really set in and get hard to break. And sometimes a book just can't solve your problems if you get stuck somewhere.

[video]

[charcoalfeather]

[The reply that comes in isn't from another person either, but instead there's a small Espurr sitting in front of the device, with not a shred of her trainer to be seen. Regardless, she seems to have a knack at using the 'Gear.]

Your trainer would like to learn music? [Despite Bright's unblinking look, her inner voice sounds fairly concerned.]

My trainer enjoys music, she sings to us sometimes. Would she be able to help? My trainer always wants to help when there are troubles, she is very kind like that.

[Video]

[agent3]

[Thida's still pretty absorbed in her practice - enough so that she doesn't realize Maika is responding to people over the Network. She does look somewhat more amicable when she sees it's another Pokemon, though.]

Sadly, child, these are not easy troubles to lift. But perhaps my trainer would like to play for someone to sing along to. It may help.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

Child? Psh. [You're talking to a level 100 Espurr, Maika. Although Bright isn't the kind to boast.... well, yes she is. But this probably isn't the right time.]

Perhaps she would. My trainer may not be the sort of person to bring it up, but I'm sure she would go along with any idea if she think it will help. Maybe I can even convince her to sing.

[She has her ways...]

[Video]

[agent3]

[So's Maika. But you are smol cat, she is lorge squid.]

Then I believe we can convince each of them to come together with their songs.

[Video]

[charcoalfeather]

[excuse you she is a might and fearsome psychic kitty.]

Good. Shall we give it a try now? I think it could be... fun.

[At least worth an afternoon.]

Video to Maika

[queen_stabbity]

I can teach guitar and some music theory.

[Video]

[agent3]

[The very large squid nods approvingly.]

You have experience, then?

Re: [Video]

[queen_stabbity]

Yes! One of my uncles started teaching me guitar when I was seven and my mum's a professional singer. She made sure I knew the why I was doing things instead of just plonking notes.

[Video]

[agent3]

Then you are extremely experienced. Impressive.

[If a somewhat creepy looking squid could look pleased, Maika is definitely that and then some.]

Would you be willing to tell my trainer this?

Re: [Video]

[queen_stabbity]

[Ceilidh thinks that creepy looking squids are cute and would give her ribbons or rings to wear.]

Sure!

Video Call to Thida, the next day

[rambling_runner]

[ The video opens to Ash, sitting cross-legged on his bed with his Pumpkaboo at his side. Propped against the bed are his guitars; the electric one given to him at Christmas, and the acoustic one he'd brought himself here in Johto.

But it's not just about the guitar lessons. He had walked in Thida's nightmares. And they were eerily, almost far too close to the nightmares he had. He hadn't known how to bring it up once they were out of those woods, but it weighed heavy in his head when he thought about her. ]

Hey Thida! How you been doing? Did you have a good time with the holidays?

(( sorry I'm so late D8 ))

[Video]

[agent3]

[She hadn't been expecting a message after Maika's movie escapades yesterday; if anyone was going to say anything, they'd say it after watching, right? So she looks a little surprised when she answers - and then looks even more surprised when she sees two whole guitars in the frame.]

Aah! Um, 'm good! Y'got guitars!

[rambling_runner]

Yeah! I brought one of em here but...heh, the other one came from home. [ He leaned back and picked up the 'home' guitar. He pulled it across his lap. ] It just suddenly turned up on Christmas at the end of my bed. But I was the one to put all the stickers on it. [ He turned it to her, revealing that the back was, indeed, covered in stickers; band stickers and just shit he found cool, like birds and the odd sea creature, including an orca. ]

Did you get anything on the 25th?

[agent3]

Aah, stickers!

[Stickers are cool! Though, at his question, she nods eagerly and holds up her Dad's guitar. Yeah, this is not leaving her side for a while.]

Dad's came! Father Squidmas brought it! He had't've!

[rambling_runner]

[ Father Squidmas = Father Christmas. That's, fucking adorable. And hey, if people called him Saint Nick or Santa Claus or whatever, what did it matter if Thida went with Father Squidmas? ]

Damn, that's awesome! My dad taught me how to play too. It didn't give me his guitar though - it would've been an acoustic one. What sorta music did you guys play?

[action]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice is makin' his way down the street blowing stray flakes of snow out of his bangs when he hears the GOOD GOOD sound of a guitar drifting his way.]}

Y'hear that, Alice? That's our people.

<sub>[He is, obviously, speaking to the Litleo whose head is poking out of the collar of his coat. He's got her zipped up tight so that they look like a lumpy two-headed abomination. Alice keeps him warm and he gives her a ride. It's a win-win!]

[Maurice makes his way toward the sound and notices--HEY! It's the kid that doesn't know what a zebra is!]</sub>

Hey, you take requests?

[Action]

[agent3]

[Things Thida did not expect when she decided to try practicing on her father's guitar: people asking her to play songs. She yelps and holds the instrument close, looking around until she spots Maurice.]

Uh...um...c-can't. Dunno songs...yet...

[Action]

[toothaches]

_{[Maurice stops in his tracks, momentarily worried that he'd startled her. Or maybe she'd just never seen anybody with two heads before. But then she says the magic word. Yet.]}

Hey, I bet you'll get it in no time! Just be sure t'start out with a song you don't mind hearing about five hundred times because once you get it down, you'll never wanna hear it again.

_{[Maurice occasionally has war flashbacks if he hears an acoustic version of Jesus Loves Me.]}

[Action]

[agent3]

...Mm. Workin' on it. Got a song...like that.

[shy child is shy]

[Action]

[toothaches]

That's great! You got this covered, then, dudette!

_{[He does note that shyness but takes it as him annoying her and has every plan to back off and carry on his merry way when Alice suddenly has other plans. The Litleo starts wiggling and struggling against the zipper of Maurice's coat.]}

Woah! Hey!

_{[Alice proceeds to re-enact that one scene from Alien as she fights her way up through the collar of Maurice's coat and bounce down to the sidewalk. She approaches Thida and her guitar, nose a-twitching. Sometimes Maurice accidentally got crumbs inside his own guitar and it was up to her, Alice the hero, to fish them out.]}

Ah ah, Cooper Girl!

_{[Maurice bends down to scoop her up as she reaches a brown paw for the strings.]}

I'm sorry about her.